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Due to the lack of irrigation management techniques, the application of water in forest nurseries is generally carried out without control, resulting in great waste. This study aimed to develop and evaluate weighing mini-lysimeters (ML) to automate the irrigation system and determine the water demand and evaluation of the initial tree species seedling growth. The structure was built out of wood to fit a tray of 54 tubes measuring 280 cm³. It was equipped with a load cell with a nominal capacity of 10 kg, located in the center of the structure. The mass variations of the set were recorded on a micro SD card using an Arduino Mega board, which allowed for the automated irrigation management system through an algorithm. Two MLs were built, determining the water demand of Dalbergia nigra (DN) and Enterolobium contortisiliquum (EC) seedlings in the initial growth phase. After calibration, the MLs presented an absolute error and mean squared error below 1% of the total mass, allowing effective irrigation control. During the evaluation period, 1.47 L seedling-1 of DN and 1.45 L seedling-1 of EC were applied, reaching 89 days after emergence, height and stem diameter of 39.2 cm and 3.4 mm, and 19.3 cm and 4.6 mm, respectively. The weighing mini-lysimeters developed demonstrated the ability to automate the irrigation of tree species seedlings, reducing the amount of water applied in forest nurseries.

Luisa Terroni,1 Edson Amaro Jr,2 Dan V Iosifescu,3 Patricia Mattos,4 Fabio I Yamamoto,5 Gisela Tinone,5 Adriana B Conforto,5 Matildes FM Sobreiro,1 Valeri D Guajardo,1 Mara Cristina S De Lucia,7 Ayrton C Moreira,6 Milberto Scaff,5 Claudia C Leite,2 Renerio Fraguas1 1Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Group, Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Clinical Hospital, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil; 2Department of Radiology, Clinical Hospital, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil; 3Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; 4Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; 5Department of Neurology, Clinical Hospital, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil; 6Department of Medicine, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil; 7Division of Psychology, Central Institute, Clinical Hospital, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil Background: Anhedonia constitutes a coherent construct, with neural correlates and negative clinical impact, independent of depression. However, little is known about the neural correlates of anhedonia in stroke patients. In this study, we investigated the association of post-stroke anhedonia with salivary cortisol levels and stroke location and volume.Patients and methods: A psychiatrist administered the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition to identify anhedonia in 36 inpatients, without previous depression, consecutively admitted in a neurology clinic in the first month after a first-ever ischemic stroke. Salivary cortisol levels were assessed in the morning, evening, and after a dexamethasone suppression test. We used magnetic resonance imaging and a semi-automated brain morphometry method to assess stroke location, and the MRIcro program according to the Brodmann Map to calculate the lesion volume.Results: Patients with anhedonia had significantly larger diurnal variation (P-value =0.017) and higher morning levels of salivary cortisol (1,671.9±604.0 ng/dL versus 1,103.9±821.9 ng/dL; P-value =0.022), and greater stroke lesions in the parahippocampal gyrus (Brodmann area 36) compared to those without anhedonia (10.14 voxels; standard deviation ±17.72 versus 0.86 voxels; standard deviation ±4.64; P-value =0.027). The volume of lesion in the parahippocampal gyrus (Brodmann area 36) was associated with diurnal variation of salivary cortisol levels (rho=0.845; P-value =0.034) only in anhedonic patients.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that anhedonia in stroke patients is associated with the volume of stroke lesion in the parahippocampal gyrus and with dysfunction of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. Keywords: anhedonia, stroke, glucocorticoids, depression, hippocampus, parahippocampal

Iron palaeometallurgy was carried out on three artefacts, classified as nails and excavated from the archaeological site of Loiola (La Arboleda, Biscay, northern Spain), to investigate Roman manufacturing techniques. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) coupled with Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to obtain elemental composition and structural characterization of mineral phases. Metallurgical properties and crystallographic texture were studied by combining microscopic methods such as optical microscopy (OM), Electron Backscatter Diffraction realized in environmental mode (EBSD) and measurements of local Vickers microhardness. The three artefacts had different microstructures, distinguished by a large gradient of carbon content, although important segregations (inclusions) were observed in all of them. Two pearlite-rich artefacts showed a high density of structural defects (geometrically necessary dislocations and large crystallographic orientation gradients in pearlitic ferrite, curved pearlitic cementite) resulting from a high level of plastic deformation that occurred during the manufacturing process. The third artefact consisted of pure ferrite without structural defects. This one was clearly manufactured differently from the two others, so it probably had another functionality.

ABSTRACTWith the pandemic, there has been a global reduction in influenza virus circulation, with WHO reporting, during 2021/22 season, laboratory testing positivity rate for influenza of less than 3%. Influenza surveillance systems anticipated a peak of influenza cases in the Northern Hemisphere during 2022/2023 season and the Italian Ministry of Health recommended the routinary co-administration of influenza with bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for the 2022/2023 season. At the Vaccination Hub of the University Hospital (UH) of Palermo, more than 700 subjects received influenza and COVID-19 booster doses in co-administration, during the 2021/2022 season. A cross-sectional study analyzing attitudes and factors associated with adherence to influenza and COVID-19 seasonal vaccines co-administration was conducted at the Vaccination Hub of the UH of Palermo, from October to December 2022. Among the 1,263 respondents, 74.7% (n = 944) received the co-administration of seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. The main reason reported for accepting it was confidence in the recommendations of the Health Ministry (41.3%). At the multivariable analysis, subjects aged ≤ 59 y old (AdjOR: 2.48; CIs95%: 1.89–3.65), male (AdjOR: 1.51; CIs95%: 1.27–1.75), Health-care professionals (HCPs) (AdjOR: 1.66; CIs95%: 1.08–2.57) and those who received co-administration during 2021/2022 (AdjOR: 41.6; CIs95%: 25.5–67.9) were significantly more prone to receive co-administration during 2022/23 season. From data obtained, the role of HCPs in accepting and then promoting co-administration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines is crucial, as well as receiving co-administration in the previous season that represented the main drive for accepting it in the following seasons, supporting safety and effectiveness of this procedure.

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed at assessing the alterations in upper limb motor impairment and connectivity between motor areas following the post-stroke delivery of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation sessions. Methods Modifications in the Fugl-Meyer Assessment scores, connectivity between the primary motor cortex of the unaffected and affected hemispheres, and between the primary motor and premotor cortices of the unaffected hemisphere were compared prior to and following six sessions of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation application in 13 patients (active = 6; sham = 7); this modality targets the primary motor cortex of the unaffected hemisphere early after a stroke. Results Clinically relevant distinctions in Fugl-Meyer Assessment scores (≥9 points) were observed more frequently in the Sham Group than in the Active Group. Between-group differences in the alterations in Fugl-Meyer Assessment scores were not statistically significant (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.133). ROI-to-ROI correlations between the primary motor cortices of the affected and unaffected hemispheres post-therapeutically increased in 5/6 and 2/7 participants in the Active and Sham Groups, respectively. Between-group differences in modifications in connectivity between the aforementioned areas were not statistically significant. Motor performance enhancements were more frequent in the Sham Group compared to the Active Group. Conclusion The results of this hypothesis-generating investigation suggest that heightened connectivity may not translate into early clinical benefits following a stroke and will be crucial in designing larger cohort studies to explore mechanisms underlying the impacts of this intervention. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02455427.

ABSTRACT The continuous demand for water in the agricultural sector has encouraged researchers worldwide to find alternatives to optimize this resource. The use of wastewater in irrigation is promising in this scenario, especially to produce tree seedlings. The growth, quality, and water productivity of Dalbergia nigra seedlings cultivated with sewage sludge were determined when irrigated with urban supply water (W1) and cattle wastewater (CWW) treated for 1 h (W2) and 2 h (W3) of ozonation, considering four irrigation depths and shading levels (0 % (C1), 37.6 % (C2), 49.4 % (C3), 75.8 % (C4)). The height, stem diameter, biomass, and the Dickson Quality Index (DQI) were evaluated. The largest volumes of water applied in each experiment were 2.342 L per plant in W2C1, 2.114 L per plant in W1C3 and 1.556 L per plant in W3C1. The CWW provided satisfactory seedling growth, especially W2, highlighting a DQI of 0.47 obtained in C1 and better water productivity (3.8 g L–1) in W2C1, with full depth. Using alternative inputs in the seedling production of tree species is a promising strategy and indicates benefits for waste disposal, such as sewage sludge and wastewater.

Goal: This study introduces a novel approach to examine the temporal-spatial information derived from High-Density surface Electromyography (HD-sEMG). By integrating and adapting postural control parameters into a framework for the analysis of myoelectrical activity, new metrics to evaluate muscle fatigue progression were proposed, investigating their ability to predict endurance time. Methods: Nine subjects performed a fatiguing isometric contraction of the lumbar erector spinae. Topographical amplitude maps were generated from two HD-sEMG grids. Once identified the coordinates of the muscle activity, novel metrics for quantifying the muscle spatial distribution over time were calculated. Results: Spatial metrics showed significant differences from beginning to end of the contraction, highlighting their ability of characterizing the neuromuscular adaptations in presence of fatigue. Additionally, linear regression models revealed strong correlations between these spatial metrics and endurance time. Conclusions: These innovative metrics can characterize the spatial distribution of muscle activity and predict the time of task failure.

Loop extrusion is one of the main processes shaping chromosome organization across the cell cycle, yet its role in regulating deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) entanglement and nucleoplasm viscoelasticity remains overlooked. We simulate entangled solutions of linear polymers under the action of generic loop extruding factors (LEFs) with a model that fully accounts for topological constraints and LEF-DNA uncrossability. We discover that extrusion drives the formation of bottlebrushlike structures which significantly lower the entanglement and effective viscosity of the system through an active fluidification mechanism. Interestingly, this fluidification displays an optimum at one LEF every 300–3000 base pairs. In marked contrast with entangled linear chains, the viscosity of extruded chains scales linearly with polymer length, yielding up to 1000-fold fluidification in our system. Our results illuminate how intrachain loop extrusion contributes to actively modulate genome entanglement and viscoelasticity in vivo.

Background Persistent sensorimotor impairments after stroke can negatively impact quality of life. The hippocampus is vulnerable to poststroke secondary degeneration and is involved in sensorimotor behavior but has not been widely studied within the context of poststroke upper-limb sensorimotor impairment. We investigated associations between non-lesioned hippocampal volume and upper limb sensorimotor impairment in people with chronic stroke, hypothesizing that smaller ipsilesional hippocampal volumes would be associated with greater sensorimotor impairment. Methods and Results Cross-sectional T1-weighted magnetic resonance images of the brain were pooled from 357 participants with chronic stroke from 18 research cohorts of the ENIGMA (Enhancing NeuoImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) Stroke Recovery Working Group. Sensorimotor impairment was estimated from the FMA-UE (Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity). Robust mixed-effects linear models were used to test associations between poststroke sensorimotor impairment and hippocampal volumes (ipsilesional and contralesional separately; Bonferroni-corrected, P

Up to two-thirds of stroke survivors experience persistent sensorimotor impairments. Recovery relies on the integrity of spared brain areas to compensate for damaged tissue. Deep grey matter structures play a critical role in the control and regulation of sensorimotor circuits. The goal of this work is to identify associations between volumes of spared subcortical nuclei and sensorimotor behaviour at different timepoints after stroke. We pooled high-resolution T1-weighted MRI brain scans and behavioural data in 828 individuals with unilateral stroke from 28 cohorts worldwide. Cross-sectional analyses using linear mixed-effects models related post-stroke sensorimotor behaviour to non-lesioned subcortical volumes (Bonferroni-corrected, P

Late leaf spot (LLS) caused by the Ascomycete Nothopassalora personata (N.p.) (Syn. Cercosporidium personatum) is the main foliar disease of peanuts in Argentina and in peanut producing areas of the world, causing up to 70% yield losses. The extremely slow growth of this fungus in culture, that takes around one month to form a 1 cm colony (0.45 mm/day), and the lack of adequate young tissues from where to extract nucleic acids, have hindered genetic studies of this pathogen. Here, we report the first genome sequence of a N. personata isolate from South America, as well as genetic variants on its conserved genes, and the complete sequence of its mating-type locus MAT1-2 idiomorph. The N. personata isolate IPAVE 0302 was obtained from peanut leaves in Córdoba, Argentina. The whole genome sequencing of IPAVE 0302 was performed as paired end 150 bp NovaSeq 6000 and de novo assembled. Clean reads were mapped to the reference genome for this species NRRL 64463 and the genetic variants on highly conserved genes and throughout the genome were analyzed. Sequencing data were submitted to NCBI GenBank Bioproject PRJNA948451, accession number SRR23957761. Additional Fasta files are available from Harvard Dataverse (https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/9AGPMG and https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/YDO3V6). The data reported here will be the basis for the analysis of genetic diversity of the LLS pathogen of peanut in Argentina, information that is critical to make decisions on management strategies.

Accurate lesion segmentation is critical in stroke rehabilitation research for the quantification of lesion burden and accurate image processing. Current automated lesion segmentation methods for T1-weighted (T1w) MRIs, commonly used in stroke research, lack accuracy and reliability. Manual segmentation remains the gold standard, but it is time-consuming, subjective, and requires neuroanatomical expertise. We previously released an open-source dataset of stroke T1w MRIs and manually-segmented lesion masks (ATLAS v1.2, N = 304) to encourage the development of better algorithms. However, many methods developed with ATLAS v1.2 report low accuracy, are not publicly accessible or are improperly validated, limiting their utility to the field. Here we present ATLAS v2.0 (N = 1271), a larger dataset of T1w MRIs and manually segmented lesion masks that includes training (n = 655), test (hidden masks, n = 300), and generalizability (hidden MRIs and masks, n = 316) datasets. Algorithm development using this larger sample should lead to more robust solutions; the hidden datasets allow for unbiased performance evaluation via segmentation challenges. We anticipate that ATLAS v2.0 will lead to improved algorithms, facilitating large-scale stroke research.

The goal of the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Stroke Recovery working group is to understand brain and behavior relationships using well-powered meta- and mega-analytic approaches. ENIGMA Stroke Recovery has data from over 2,100 stroke patients collected across 39 research studies and 10 countries around the world, comprising the largest multisite retrospective stroke data collaboration to date. This article outlines the efforts taken by the ENIGMA Stroke Recovery working group to develop neuroinformatics protocols and methods to manage multisite stroke brain magnetic resonance imaging, behavioral and demographics data. Specifically, the processes for scalable data intake and preprocessing, multisite data harmonization, and large-scale stroke lesion analysis are described, and challenges unique to this type of big data collaboration in stroke research are discussed. Finally, future directions and limitations, as well as recommendations for improved data harmonization through prospective data collection and data management, are provided.

Recent studies have highlighted the possibility of using surface electromyographic (EMG) signals to develop human–computer interfaces that are also able to recognize complex motor tasks involving the hand as the handwriting of digits. However, the automatic recognition of words from EMG information has not yet been studied. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using combined forearm and wrist EMG probes for solving the handwriting recognition problem of 30 words with consolidated machine-learning techniques and aggregating state-of-the-art features extracted in the time and frequency domains. Six healthy subjects, three females and three males aged between 25 and 40 years, were recruited for the study. Two tests in pattern recognition were conducted to assess the possibility of classifying fine hand movements through EMG signals. The first test was designed to assess the feasibility of using consolidated myoelectric control technology with shallow machine-learning methods in the field of handwriting detection. The second test was implemented to assess if specific feature extraction schemes can guarantee high performances with limited complexity of the processing pipeline. Among support vector machine, linear discriminant analysis, and K-nearest neighbours (KNN), the last one showed the best classification performances in the 30-word classification problem, with a mean accuracy of 95% and 85% when using all the features and a specific feature set known as TDAR, respectively. The obtained results confirmed the validity of using combined wrist and forearm EMG data for intelligent handwriting recognition through pattern recognition approaches in real scenarios.

Gemma Camiña-Conforto, Laura Mateu-Arrom, Anna López-Ferrer, Lluís Puig Department of Dermatology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, SpainCorrespondence: Gemma Camiña-Conforto, Department of Dermatology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Mas Casanovas 90, Bloque A, 5a planta (secretaria Dermatología), Barcelona, 08041, Spain, Tel +34 93 553 7007, Fax +34 93 553 7008, Email gcamina@santpau.catAbstract: Psoriasis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that significatively impairs patients’ quality of life. Biological treatments are highly effective and safe and have led to breakthroughs in the management of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. However, therapeutic response can be unsatisfactory or lost with time, leading to discontinuation of treatment. Bimekizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that specifically inhibits both interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-17F. The efficacy and safety of bimekizumab in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis has been demonstrated in Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials. Bimekizumab may offer some advantages over other biological treatments, making it especially indicated for certain patients. This narrative review aims to summarize the latest published evidence on the use of bimekizumab for the treatment of moderate-severe plaque psoriasis, focusing on patient selection and therapeutic perspectives. Bimekizumab has been shown to be more efficacious than adalimumab, secukinumab and ustekinumab in clinical trials, with high estimated probabilities of achieving complete (approximately 60%) or almost complete clearance (approximately 85%) of psoriasis at weeks 10– 16, and a good safety profile. Response to bimekizumab is usually fast and maintained in the long term for both biologic-naive patients and those resistant to previous biologic treatments. The usual maintenance dose of 320 mg every 8 weeks makes bimekizumab especially convenient for non-compliant patients. Moreover, the efficacy and safety of bimekizumab have also been demonstrated in psoriasis affecting challenging-to-treat areas, psoriatic arthritis and hidradenitis suppurativa. In conclusion, dual inhibition of IL-17A and IL-17F with bimekizumab is a good therapeutic option for moderate-to-severe psoriasis.Keywords: psoriasis, bimekizumab, patient selection, interleukin-17, patient compliance, biological therapy

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe a protocol of obtention of mesenchymal stem cells and to report their use as a biological adjuvant in three patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Methods: Case series of patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of isolated full-thickness supraspinatus tear using mesenchymal stem cells obtained from the bone marrow as a biological adjuvant. All patients were operated on at the same institution, by a surgeon with 13 years of experience. The cells were applied at the end of the procedure, at the tendon-bone interface, at an approximate concentration of 2,000,000 mesenchymal cells/mm3 and a total volume of 5 ml. Results: All patients improved with the procedure, with one excellent and two good results. All cases overcame the minimally important clinical difference. All cases reached tendon healing, without partial or complete re-tears. We observed no complications. Conclusion: Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with added mesenchymal cells obtained from bone marrow and submitted to a cell expansion process led to good functional results and healing in all cases in the sample, with no complications. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

Abstract The characterization of both limbs’ behaviour in prosthetic gait is of key importance for improving the prosthetic components and increasing the biomechanical capability of trans-femoral amputees. When characterizing human gait, modular motor control theories have been proven to be powerful in providing a compact description of the gait patterns. In this paper, the planar covariation law of lower limb elevation angles is proposed as a compact, modular description of prosthetic gait; this model is exploited for a comparison between trans-femoral amputees walking with different prosthetic knees and control subjects walking at different speeds. Results show how the planar covariation law is maintained in prostheses users, with a similar spatial organization and few temporal differences. Most of the differences among the different prosthetic knees are found in the kinematic coordination patterns of the sound side. Moreover, different geometrical parameters have been calculated over the common projected plane, and their correlation with classical gait spatiotemporal and stability parameters has been investigated. The results from this latter analysis have highlighted a correlation with several parameters of gait, suggesting that this compact description of kinematics unravels a significant biomechanical meaning. These results can be exploited to guide the control mechanisms of prosthetic devices based purely on the measurement of relevant kinematic quantities.

This article reviews archaeological and archaeometric research on stone and quarries of the Charente basin in southwestern France, a geographical area corresponding to the ancient civitas of the Santones. The study, which is ongoing and began over fifteen years ago, aims to identify the ancient quarries and to better understand the subsequent distribution of building stone. The briefly described geomorphological history, underscores the Pyrenean orogeny, a major event which transformed the Aquitaine basin of the secondary era into the current sedimentary plateau. Compressed into vast anticlinal and synclinal undulations, cut into by rivers, notably the Charente, it offered stonemasons a wide range of high-quality limestone, suitable for sculptural and architectural purposes, as well as all other construction needs, whether ashlar or rubble. Sedimentary formations ranging from the Jurassic to the Cretaceous are the ones most frequently found along lengthy stretches on either side of the Saintonge anticline axis. Turonian limestone was particularly appreciated in this context because of its fine grain and white color. Knowledge of ancient quarries and the individuals who exploited them requires a specific archaeological practice, focused on the reading of quarry faces and floors, in order to reveal the strategies implemented toward block extraction. This particular approach, however, implies the clearing of considerable quantities of ancient and modern waste, and it is therefore understandable that archaeology alone cannot identify all the quarries that punctuate the landscape and remain visible today. The Thénac (Charente-Maritime) quarry in Saintonge is the only one to have been the subject of programmed excavations and formally recognised as an ancient stone source, dated to the Julio-Claudian period. It was therefore necessary to use other methods to identify the stone from the large quarries in the Charente River basin, whatever the period of exploitation, and to create a sort of identification card for each of them. About fifteen quarries have been referenced throughout the area in question. How can we recognise the characteristics of the stone from a particular quarry that differentiate it from another, more or less distant one? And how can we establish that an architectural block encountered in an archaeological site comes from a particular quarry? These questions represent the main challenges of this research. The archaeologist cannot hope to identify the solution to these enigmas if they rely solely on limestone observation, using only the naked eye. Though undoubtedly better equipped in this endeavor, the geologist may still have difficulty distinguishing between limestone from two quarries located close to one another and attributable to the same geological stage. Thus, only the stonemason would be left with his intimate knowledge of the material, its lustre, or resistance to tools; yet this craftsman can only know the stone that they have worked themselves. It was therefore necessary to apply an original method, developed at the Université de La Rochelle by Professor Jean-Claude Mercier, based on the chemical nature of certain limestone components, and in particular by analysing the terrigenous grains trapped by marine sedimentation. These microscopic grains, transported from the surrounding land by the rivers, picked up by the currents, and deposited elsewhere depending on a variety of physical conditions, create a scenario in which the deposits at any given point are not the same as those at another location only slightly further away. This a basic principle of geographical discrimination, which is the basis for limestone recognition in each quarry and which the archaeometrist may be able to evaluate. In order to do so, they must methodically sample the quarry in question using vertically staggered samples, thus taking into consideration both the duration of the sedimentation and the time spent by the quarrymen exploiting the successive banks. Dissolution using hydrochloric acid allows the collection of these residual grains, which must then be prepared into thin sections. The multi-element analysis of these grains is carried out using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the principles of which are described in this article. An emitter produces an electron probe that scans the six contiguous areas of the thin slide, which will cause secondary electrons to emerge from the surface of the sample, providing the topography of the grains, as well as backscattered electrons whose contrast is related to the atomic number of the chemical elements present. At the same time, the characteristic X-rays also emitted by the sample make it possible to determine the nature of the grains, the quantity and the identity of the chemical elements present on the surface by obtaining spectra and quantification tables. This technique is known as EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy). Scanning electron microscope analysis reveals a mass of grains composed mainly of pure silica, with a minority of other more remarkable grains, wherein silica has combined with elements such as aluminium, potassium and iron. Other grains containing elements such as titanium or zirconium also occasionally appear independently. The list of these elements is not exhaustive. It remains for the archaeometrist to count, sort, and assign them false colours, as well as to arrange them on individualised layers with the help of image processing software in order to establish discriminating statistical groups of mineral species. This will ultimately provide a singular graphic synthesis: the quarry reference frame. Any archaeological sample, tested using this process in the hopes of confirming a specific quarry as its place of origin, must, statistically speaking, possess the same discriminating characteristics and fit into the ranges of the graphic synthesis of the quarry in question. Occasionally, the concordance is more or less precise, and in this case, we speak of assured, probable, possible, or unknown provenance. This method, which accompanies and reinforces the geological identification of a given limestone, also has the significant advantage of being reversible. If an archaeologically well-defined block is analysed using this method and its discriminatory characteristics relate to a quarry that is referenced, but whose original exploitation has not yet been documented, then it can be affirmed that this quarry was exploited in Antiquity. This article describes the conditions for use of local stone and rubble, and focuses on the main quarries exploited in Saintonge during Antiquity: Thénac, Saint-Vaize, Crazannes, Pons en Charente-Maritime, and Marcamps en Gironde. The major role played by the quarries of Thénac, Saint-Vaize and Pons in monumental construction is evident in the early days of Roman colonisation. The settlements of Saintes and Barzan (Charente-Maritime) present recurrent evidence of this. The conditions of exploitation and transport are described and the commercial areas established by maps and tables that correlate production and work sites. The general observation is that Saintonge is self-sufficient in building stone, apart from marble. It seems that the city’s context is a geographically ideal area for the trade of a material whose price increases considerably with the length of the journey, especially if it is by land. Saintes benefited greatly from the placid waters of the Charente, used to bring in stone from Saint-Vaize in abundance. The port town of Barzan, on the edge of the Gironde estuary, relied on a strategically placed road, specially created to link it to Saintes, its capital, with the Thénac quarry conveniently located along the route. Finally, this study reveals a rubble trade that is generally under studied, as is the case for the quarries of Marcamps, which supplied the second phase of the reconstruction of Barzan. To be viable, this trade benefited from the duration and abundance of a market facilitated by the downstream current of the estuary. Was Saintonge stone exported far beyond its territory, as the historian Camille Jullian speculated? To answer this question, archaeologists working on stone supply outside of this region and who suspect a possible origin in Charente should familiarise themselves with our diagnostic methods. Uncertainties and shortcomings remain in terms of an inventory and assessment which, by their very nature, can never truly be completed.

Abstract Objectives The fungal pathogen Thecaphora frezii Carranza & Lindquist causes peanut smut, a severe disease currently endemic in Argentina. To study the ecology of T. frezii and to understand the mechanisms of smut resistance in peanut plants, it is crucial to know the genetics of this pathogen. The objective of this work was to isolate the pathogen and generate the first draft genome of T. frezii that will be the basis for analyzing its potential genetic diversity and its interaction with peanut cultivars. Our research group is working to identify peanut germplasm with smut resistance and to understand the genetics of the pathogen. Knowing the genome of T. frezii will help analyze potential variants of this pathogen and contribute to develop enhanced peanut germplasm with broader and long-lasting resistance. Data description Thecaphora frezii isolate IPAVE 0401 (here referred as T.f.B7) was obtained from a single hyphal-tip culture, its DNA was sequenced using Pacific Biosciences Sequel II (PacBio) and Illumina NovaSeq6000 (Nova). Data from both sequencing platforms were combined and the de novo assembling estimated a 29.3 Mb genome size. Completeness of the genome examined using Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) showed the assembly had 84.6% of the 758 genes in fungi_odb10.

IntroductionCurrent guidelines recommend that patients with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) should be treated with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for 3–12 months. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), however, are increasingly used in clinical practice. An exploratory randomized controlled trial including 120 patients with CVT suggested that the efficacy and safety profile of dabigatran (a DOAC) is similar to VKAs for the treatment of CVT, but large-scale prospective studies from a real-world setting are lacking.MethodsDOAC-CVT is an international, prospective, observational cohort study comparing DOACs to VKAs for the prevention of recurrent venous thrombotic events after acute CVT. Patients are eligible if they are 18 years or older, have a radiologically confirmed CVT, and have started oral anticoagulant treatment (DOAC or VKA) within 30 days of CVT diagnosis. Patients with an absolute contra-indication for DOACs, such as pregnancy or severe renal insufficiency, are excluded from the study. We aim to recruit at least 500 patients within a three-year recruitment period. The primary endpoint is a composite of recurrent venous thrombosis and major bleeding at 6 months of follow-up. We will calculate an adjusted odds ratio for the primary endpoint using propensity score inverse probability treatment weighting.DiscussionDOAC-CVT will provide real-world data on the comparative efficacy and safety of DOACs versus VKAs for the treatment of CVT.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04660747.